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Growing pains
Growing pains are common in children, mainly in the legs. They're harmless, but can be very painful. They usually stop by around age 12.
Check if it's growing pains
Growing pains can come and go over months, even years.
The pain is usually:
an aching or throbbing in both legs
in the muscles, not the joints
in the evening or night-time (and goes away by morning)
Growing pains are more common in active children and can come on after playing a lot of sports.
They're also more common in children with flexible joints (double jointed).
Things you can do to ease growing pains
Do
gently massage your child's legs
put a covered hot water bottle (or heat pack) on the painful area
give children's ibuprofen or paracetamol to ease the pain
encourage them to wear supportive shoes, such as trainers, during the day
give them a warm bath before bedtime
Don’t
do not give aspirin to a child under the age of 16 unless a doctor prescribes it
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
the pain is only in 1 leg
the pain carries on the next morning
the pain is bad enough to stop your child walking or makes them limp
the pain is in a joint, such as their knees or ankles
there's a rash, swelling or unusual bruising on the legs
your child has a high temperature
your child does not want to eat or is losing weight
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
What causes growing pains
It's not clear what causes growing pains. They can run in families.
They're not caused by growing and they're not a sign of anything serious.
Page last reviewed: 09 April 2019
Next review due: 09 April 2022
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